Power Dynamos head coach Oswald Mutapa said his side had reason to be satisfied after earning a goalless draw away to Red Arrows at Nkoloma Stadium in a rescheduled Week 18 fixture.
In a high-intensity contest between two title contenders in the MTN Super League, Mutapa felt the result reflected the balance of play across the 90 minutes.
“Overall, I think we had more of the first half, and Arrows had the last 15 minutes where they created maybe two chances. We wanted maximum points, but you could see how tough the game was. There were a lot of emotions involved,” Mutapa said.
He stressed the significance of collecting a point at a venue where Arrows had previously maintained a perfect home record.
“We take a point, especially in a rescheduled game away from home. Arrows hadn’t lost or drawn here before, so it tells you we are on the right path,” he noted.
Power Dynamos controlled large spells of the first half, while Arrows improved after the break and finished stronger. Mutapa admitted his team allowed too much space in midfield following the introduction of experienced midfielder Yusuf Phiri.
“When they brought in Saddam (Yusuf Phiri), he was receiving the ball in pockets of space. If you give an experienced player that kind of room, it will hurt you. That’s why we brought in Linos (Makwaza) to close those spaces.”
The match carried visible tension, and Mutapa emphasized discipline. “We mentioned before the game that we must control our emotions. We don’t need anyone leaving the pitch with a cut or a red card.”
He was, however, critical of officiating standards, suggesting that failure to manage key duels allowed the game to escalate unnecessarily. On squad selection, particularly the decision to bench leading scorer Moses Shumah, Mutapa dismissed speculation of internal issues.
“We have 30 players. I don’t know why we focus on one player. At any given time, only 11 can play,” he said, pointing to fixture congestion as the reason for rotation.
The match was overshadowed by post-game crowd disturbances, which Mutapa condemned.
“We don’t need that. Football is played on the pitch. Let supporters back their teams from where they are allowed to.”
Despite the off-field incidents, the stalemate keeps the title race competitive, with both sides maintaining pressure at the top of the table.
